A few really simple questions...

[ShadyTreeAcres]

When you guys say Free Choice you just mean that its available at all times right?

What are you using for hay feeders? I have been considering one of the net type bags.

I've seen numerous types of mineral feeders online using PVC pipe. Is there no risk of the goats overeating minerals?


Last, and most importantly...I have a 9 week old Nigerian Dwarf bottle baby. About a week ago she started eating weeds, leaves and grass. How do I wean her from the bottle? Right now I am feeding 9oz 3x a day. She is STARVED as it is and sucks the bottle down in 60sec. I put hay and grain in her pen and she doesn't seem to touch it...or at least not much.

Sorry for the Goat 101 questions...if there is a thread you can point me to for this type of inquiry please let me know.

Thanks.

 

[NH homesteader]

Hi and welcome! Yes free choice means available all the time. We have pvc mineral feeders and they are great. If you're starting with minerals for a goat that hasn't had access to them, start by putting a little out until they get used to them. Then they just eat what they need.

Here is one hay feeder. It 's awesome!

Here is my other hay feeder... It's awesome now that Peppermint isn't using it lol!

The hay nets can be dangerous, I discovered after using one. My goats chewed holes in it and destroyed it in a few days. But other people have had goats get stuck in them. I've heard better things about the bag type feeders though.

Sorry no experience with bottle feeding but there is information on here if you search for it... And someone will chime in soon, I'm sure of it!

 

[Green Acres Farm]

Look up hay feeder on pinterest. LOTS of great ideas!

Nope, no danger of overeating minerals... At least I have never heard of it. Certain areas are especially deficient or high in certain minerals, so some brands are better than others. Your vet should know, or a good breeder.

I have not bottle fed a baby yet, but he should be eating more by now. @Southern by choice @OneFineAcre @Goat Whisperer

Google Fiasco Farms. It is a very helpful basic goat care site. But get a second opinion on the medicine dosages. Not everything on there is accurate, but definitely helpful when you are new to goats.

 

[NH homesteader]

She's a she....

 

[ShadyTreeAcres]

Look up hay feeder on pinterest. LOTS of great ideas!

Nope, no danger of overeating minerals... At least I have never heard of it. Certain areas are especially deficient or high in certain minerals, so some brands are better than others. Your vet should know, or a good breeder.

I have not bottle fed a baby yet, but he should be eating more by now. @Southern by choice @OneFineAcre @Goat Whisperer

Are you planning on neutering your buckling? Maybe you already know this, but bucks go into rut 6 months out of the year. When they are in rut they stink horribly and pee on themselves, and other nasty habits. Bucks can also breed very young- sometimes as young as 2 months old. Just to warn you if you expected him to stay like he is now. Not saying you should, just a heads up.

Google Fiasco Farms. It is a very helpful basic goat care site. But get a second opinion on the medicine dosages. Not everything on there is accurate, but definitely helpful when you are new to goats.

My baby is a doeling, I'm staying away from bucks

And yes, I have read Fiasco Farms site thoroughly, just looking for specifics.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Green Acres Farm]

She's a she....

Oops! I don't know why I thought that...

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Welcome to the forum!

Free choice is when they have access to it 24/7

If your goats haven't been on minerals, introduce it SLOWLY!
They absolutely can eat it until it becomes toxic. If they are not used to it, offer some everyday until they don't gobble it down. After they are accustomed to it you can leave it out free choice.

If it possible to have free choice feed for the bottle baby? I try to keep my bottle kids on free choice feed, it seems to work well. I put it out when the are around 10 days old. They don't eat it at that age but start to nibble. This helps tremendously once weaning comes around as they are already use to it. You may just need to let her get good and hungry.

Stop giving her a bottle 3x daily, cut her down to 2x a day for a week and continue to reduce. Make sure she has good hay available at all times. I like keeping my babies on alfalfa/orchard hay, once they are older they go to a grass hay. You may want to have her fecal checked for cocci & other parasites. Weaning stresses them and can set them up to have a "bloom". Also make sure she is current on her CDT vaccines.

I wouldn't use they hay nets, they are extremely dangerous! Many goats have been killed by hay nets

 

[babsbag]

I have been through a lot of renditions of feeders and IMO the one from Premier 1 that you make yourself is THE BEST. I started with a single sided and then converted it to a double and made another double. I have 40+ goats. I will be making another single sided one this winter and possibly another single for the bucks. I have used their panels, which I really like, but have also used the 4x4 utility panels from Tractor Supply.

 

[Alexz7272]

Here is a hay feeder I made using a hog panel and some redwood!

 

[Ferguson K]

Our hay feeders aren't fancy, but they work.

Hog panels in horse shoes.